Knox County Agricultural Museum Director Don Hawk told the Board of Commissioners during its March 19 meeting that they have a $4,000 IT upgrade and a $9,000 porch project for 2026.
The announcement outlines upcoming improvements at the museum, including technology updates and facility repairs. These projects are part of ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the museum's offerings for visitors and educational groups.
"There's about 400 students that come through that Ag awareness event when we have that. And we host tours whenever we get asked to whereas a group of Girl Scouts going to be coming in April. I guess they get their history badge if they can come and go through the museum," Hawk told the commissioners, based on the meeting's video recording.
Hawk said a project for 2027 will be work on the spring house. He told Commissioner Barry Lester that the Ag Museum board of directors will be appreciated no matter how much the commission gives to them. Lester said each year they regularly contribute $5,000 for the Ag Museum. Hawk said in 2025 the Ag Museum completed a refresh of the log house. Four rows of chinking between the logs had to be redone when kids discovered the mud was still soft and poked fingers into it. The porch around the log house will be redone this year. Hawk said it was probably put together close to 40 years ago. The $9,000 replacement project should make it maintenance-free, he said.
Hawk said the 2027 log spring house project won't be as extensive as the three times larger log house, which cost $26,000. The Ag Museum is moving forward with IT upgrades. Hawk said some of its software is not compatible with newer software. They lost their IT person, Carolyn Farie.
Hawk said they've installed a gate at the school house exhibit so they don't have to shut the door when the Ag Museum is short staffed. The door can remain open but with the gate closed. It will protect the artifacts but enable visitors to view them and read about them in their displays.
Hawk said that Lambert has kitchen appliances. They don't have cords on them and all are from the 1800s, nothing manufactured since then. "We don't want these items to grow legs and walk off," Hawk said.
